Thalia's last stand
by Abbalina
Summary: What REALLY happened on Half-Blood hill the night Thalia died? Now the world can finally know. T because I'm paranoid.


Thalia's Last Stand

I stumbled over a rock, momentarily slowing our headlong sprint. I winced as pain shot up my leg.

A pair of strong hands stopped my fall. I looked up and met Luke's blue eyes.

"We can't keep this up much longer," I gasped.

Luke nodded, scooping up seven-year-old Annabeth as he did so. Her curly blonde hair flew around her in wild tangles, and her gray eyes were wide and scared. She clutched a long bronze knife.

"We're almost there," Grover said.

I shoved my short black hair out of my face and grimly pushed onward.

Behind us, the sound of the monsters was slowly getting louder. There was no way we'd beat them to Camp Half-Blood.

We finally made it out of urban New York City. We were running along a deserted stretch of road. The silence magnified the sounds of our labored breathing and the rhythmic _clop-clop_ of Grover's hooves.

In the background, the monsters' howls grew louder.

It sounded like Hades had sent a whole army of his bloodthirsty minions after us.

But it wasn't really us they were after. It was just me.

The beginnings of a plan formed in my mind.

"Whatever it is you're thinking, don't do it, Thalia!" Grover wheezed.

Stupid satyr and his empathetic powers.

I glanced at my companions. Grover was still running steadily, though I could tell by the way his pupils had become slits that he was terrified. Luke seemed to be holding his own, even with Annabeth in his arms.

My leg had become one dull, throbbing ache. I wasn't sure how much longer I could keep this up.

I gritted my teeth. "Just a bit farther," I muttered.

We kept running.

Eventually, Half-Blood Hill came into sight. Grover breathed a sigh of relief.

I chanced a glance behind me. The monsters, which had been steadily gaining on us, were now right behind us.

As we crested the top of the hill, I knew we'd never make it. There was still half a mile between us and the Big House.

I stopped and drew my sword.

The others slowed down. Luke shouted, "Thalia! What are you doing?"

"Go!" I yelled.

"No!" Grover yelled back. "Not without you!"

Stupid loyal satyr.

"It's your only chance!" I screamed desperately. "Besides, I don't want to live like a hunted animal! This is my decision! Now GO!"

Luke looked like he wanted to argue, but Grover stopped him. "We can't change her mind."

Luke sighed, then nodded. Reluctantly the pair turned away.

From Luke's arms, Annabeth shrieked, "Thalia! No! You _have_ to come with us!"

"Go! I repeated. I took a moment to watch as the curly-haired satyr and the blonde son of Hermes took off across the valley, the blonde carrying the tiny daughter of Athena.

I turned back to face the road. The first of the monsters were about halfway up the hill. I tapped the silver chains on my wrist, which expanded into Aegis. I raised the shield, the molded head of Medusa in the center causing monsters to flinch away.

I raised my sword and met the first monsters in battle.

Blue sparks flickered across my skin, traveling down my sword and flashing across my shield. I was Thalia, daughter of Zeus, and I used my power to the best of my abilities.

I slashed and parried, dodged and stabbed. Monsters disintegrated all around me. But for every one I defeated, three appeared in its place. And I was tiring.

I gave as good as I got, but I couldn't hope to win. I had been wounded several times, including being stabbed in the same spot on my leg. I was so weak I could barely stand.

Finally, I knew it was the end.

I lowered me sword and shield and raised my face to the sky.

There was a bright flash of white light all around me. Then everything went dark for the last time.

Luke's POV

Everything in me told me to turn around and run back to the hill. That I was being a coward. And I wanted to fight. I wanted to help Thalia, who was battling an entire army of Hades' minions. Alone.

But I had the girl in my arms to think about. If I died too, who would look after Annabeth?

So I ran.

We had almost reached the house when it happened.

Everything was lit up by a light behind us. We stopped and turned to look.

There was a bright white light. And standing there, in the middle of it, was Thalia. Her pale face held an otherworldly calm. Her electric blue eyes glowed eerily. Her short, spiky black hair floated around her. Her sword and shield, held at her sides, shone like beacons. The only darkness was her clothes, her standard uniform of black on black.

I took all of this in in half a second. She stood there in the center of the white light for half a second. Then she closed her eyes and disappeared.

In her place was a majestic white pine tree.

Annabeth buried her face in my shoulder and sobbed. I met Grover's eyes and saw the tears streaming down his face.

Then it really hit me. Thalia was gone. The first daughter of Zeus in sixty years, dead at age twelve.

My best friend, dead because she was protecting me.

"WHY?" I howled at the empty sky.

I couldn't hold back anymore. I sank to my knees and cried.


End file.
